MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — Volunteers are working to connect storm victims with free help to remove fallen trees and debris from their yards.
David Sledge has spent decades volunteering with various organizations, and right now, he's answering calls for the Crisis Cleanup hotline from his home in Mt. Juliet.
"You'll get a call on your phone, and you'll just answer it, ‘Hey, thank you for calling Crisis Cleanup, I'm here to help you any way I can, what can I do to help you?'" Sledge said.
That hotline number is 844-965-1386.
When people call the hotline to report they need help, their information gets entered into a database and map.
Once the information is entered, it gets claimed by a vetted volunteer organization that's part of VOAD, or Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.
"These groups are not there for money. They're there to support the survivors, and that includes listening to them. That includes sitting on the ground with them and just letting them cry, if that's what they need," Sledge said.
One of those volunteer groups helping right now is Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief.
Kaye Thomas coordinates teams from the mobilization center in Mt. Juliet.
"I coordinate the teams going out to work at the disaster," said Kaye Thomas, Incident Commander for Mt. Juliet for Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief.
The organization currently has around 35 people who came in from East Tennessee, plus many local volunteers, helping with tree removal and other yard cleanup work.
Once they claim a person to help, the group reaches out to assess what equipment needs to be sent, then works to get the job done.
So far, they've helped at least 14 homes in the Nashville metro area.
"We go out and help them in their time of need and in a crisis such as this," Thomas said.
Crisis Cleanup is looking for more volunteer organizations to help with going out and clearing people’s yards and also help working the phones.
Click here for more information on volunteering. You need to be part of an organization to help.
If you need help cleaning up your yard after the storm, you can call 844-965-1386 or request help via this link.
This story was reported on-air by Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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